Minnie Finn has such a high opinion of Zipping Zodiac that she regrets the dog did not have enough experience to contest the currently under way Ladbrokes Country Classic at Dubbo.
Final of that race, over 605m on March 22, is worth $100,000 to the winner but because Zipping Zodiac only commenced racing three weeks ago, he was not ready for the rich middle-distance series.
Instead, Finn will take Zipping Zodiac back to Wentworth Park for Thursday night's Ladbrokes Sports Bar 1-2 wins 520m fifth grade.
"Zipping Zodiac's run home times everywhere are enormous so if he had started his career a bit earlier, I would have loved to have put him in the Country Classic,'' Finn said.
"On Thursday night he is well suited in box two and will also like being in an early race.
"The only flaw Zipping Zodiac has is that he is the worst kennel dog I've ever had so being in race three on Thursday is a bonus.''
After bungling the start in his first race, in a heat of the Robert Smith Memorial at The Gardens on February 15, Zipping Zodiac flashed home to finish third.
He then won the consolation final of that 515m race in 29.44, fastest time of the night, before coming from well back to win at his WP debut on February 27.
Zipping Zodiac's kennelmate, the up-and-coming Zipping Dekkers, clocked a flying 29.32 to win her heat of the Robert Smith Memorial, and she will tackle Thursday night's Ladbrokes Bet Ticker 1-2 wins 520m fifth grade.
Zipping Dekkers was hampered crossing to the rails from box eight when second to Instant Offer at her first WP appearance on February 27 and Finn is naturally disappointed at the prospect of seeing her wearing the pink rug again on Thursday.
Trainer Andrew Katalinic lost no time getting his "heartbreak" dog Glycerine into a Masters race, with the greyhound to exit box four in Thursday's Ladbrokes Fast Withdrawals 520m M3 event.
"Glycerine turned four on Monday so this race came up at just the right time,'' Katalinic said.
"This dog has been so frustrating because he could always run but in seven WP starts he has had four seconds and two thirds.
"In his most recent race, at Dapto on January 30, he suffered a tear in his stifle so he has had a few weeks off.
"But his trials suggests he is back on song and what really pleases me about Thursday's race is that although he has box four, he has an empty box on his outside.
"That will suit him Glycerine because he steps to the right when the boxes open.''
Thursday night's opening event, the 520m NSW GBOTA Welcome Maiden, is especially intriguing, because it marks the first appearances of Jungle Johnny's litter brother Hommus, along with the city debut of three siblings sired by Sunburnt Highway, Wenty's most prolific winner.
Despite being Masters grade, Glycerine is only lightly raced with 24 starts to his name
Hommus, who turned two last month, is owned and trained by Jungle Johnny's owner and original trainer John Maroun.
"He is a big dog, just over 36kg, so he has had a few setbacks and has taken much longer than Jungle Johnny to get to the track,'' Maroun said.
"Hommus went well in his first 520m trial a couple of weeks ago but is no flying machine in the early stages and is about a tenth slower than Jungle Johnny to the first mark.''
Sunburnt Highway won a record 39 races at WP for Judith and John Richardson and three puppies from his first and so far only mating, to Zipping Twix, will contest Thursday's race for them.
Unraced duo Highway Princess and Ice On Fire have drawn boxes two and six respectively while their litter sister Star, who has finished fast to be runner-up in each of two starts over 365m at Nowra, has drawn eight.
"They each went quick when we gave them post-to-post trials at Wenty,'' John Richardson said.
"Highway Princess, who is owned by Darryl Prestwidge, is probably the fastest and clocked 24.30, while Star, who has flown home in her two sprints at Nowra, recorded the same time, with Ice On Fire running 24.38.''
Star, who got off the track from box two when second to her litter sister and kennelmate That's Our Girl over 365m at Nowra on February 10, looks well boxed out wide.
